Eagles lead after day one at Antelope Hills

Embry-Riddle's Lewis Breslin, left, Matt Andrews, center, and Nicole Lopes are atop the leaderboard after day one of the Embry-Riddle Spring Invitational on Monday, March 12, 2018, in Prescott. (ERAU Athletics/Courtesy)

Andrews, Breslin sit atop leaderboard with pair of 3-under 69s

PRESCOTT — After Monday’s first-round action of the Embry-Riddle Spring Invitational, both the men’s and women’s teams have a sizeable lead at Antelope Hills Golf Course in Prescott.

The men as a team turned in a 4-under par 284 scorecard, a 13-stroke lead over second-place Arizona Christian (297). Doane University sits one stroke behind ACU with a 298, while Ottawa University-Arizona and Sierra Nevada fired a 13-over par 301 to tie for fourth Monday.

“I was very pleased with the overall play of our men’s team,” head coach Mike Haddow said. “To post a 284 as a team is the lowest round of the season.”

For the women, Embry-Riddle shot a 14-over par 302 to claim first place through the first 18 holes of the invitational, 21 strokes ahead of second-place Ottawa’s 323.

“I’m proud of the entire women’s squad today,” head coach Kim Haddow said. “Putting was a challenge with some tucked pins, but they were able to make a few birdies.”

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Firing a field-leading 3-under par 69 on Monday, Matt Andrews appears to be on his game at Antelope Hills, while Lewis Breslin tied him atop the leaderboard (69).

“Matt and Lewis were bogey free,” an impressed Mike Haddow said.

Sean Poling finished tied for third with a 2-under par 70, while Kyle Peterson and Garrett Hogan tied for seventh after turning in a 1-over par 73 card.

Arizona Christian, the only other club with five players in the top 20, was led by Chris Senna, who tied for fifth with an even-par 72.

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With all five players finishing their round of 18 in the top seven Monday, Embry-Riddle is primed to run away with this season’s invitational.

Nicole Lopes turned in an even-par 72 card on day one and leads Ottawa’s Madison Tjaden (74) and teammate Trae Jones (74) on the leaderboard by two strokes.

Jones, a 2016-17 All-American, leads fourth-place teammate Jessica Williams (76) by only two strokes. Williams, a sophomore, was a national runner up a year ago after shooting a 1-over par 73 in Palm Beach, Florida.

Other notables for Embry-Riddle included Elle Carlson, who finished with an 8-over par 80, good enough for sixth overall, while Megan Hessil finished seventh with an 81 (+9).

Arizona Christian, which has three players in the top 10, were led by KiLynn Gold’s 7-over par 79 on Monday, which was good enough for fifth overall.

UP NEXT

Day two of the Embry-Riddle Spring Invitational is set to tee off at 9:18 a.m. Tuesday on the south course of Antelope Hills.

Brian M. Bergner Jr. is sports editor for The Daily Courier. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @SportsWriter52, or on Facebook at @SportsAboveTheFold. Email bbergner@prescottaz.com or call 928-445-3333, ext. 1106.